College Hoops Barometer: Risers & Fallers

How far can UCLA go this year?  The Bruins made the Final Four two years ago, then advanced to the Sweet 16 in 2022, only to succumb to an upstart North Carolina squad that eventually made the National Championship.  The Bruins have an experienced, uber-talented squad with seniors Jaime Jaquez, Tyger Campbell and David Singleton, and junior Jaylen Clark.  Freshman Amari Bailey adds a unique element to this squad; his skill set could be the addition that gets the Bruins over the hump in their quest for their first NCAA title since 1995.

Let's take a peek at some other peak performers in this edition of the College Hoops Barometer.

UPGRADE

De'Vion Harmon, G, Texas Tech – The Red Raiders have had a disappointing season, but Harmon provided one of the memories of the season for Texas Tech on Monday.  The former Oklahoma Sooner poured in a career-high 25 points in the 74-67 triumph over in-state rival Texas.  Harmon has hit the 20-point mark in three of the last four games for the Red Raiders.  By contrast, Harmon scored 20 points just twice in the first 22 games of the campaign.  With wins over ranked opponents in three of the last five outings, Harmon and the rest of the Texas Tech squad should not be overlooked down the stretch of Big 12 play as they continue to thrive in the role of spoiler.

Jordan Miller, F, Miami – The Hurricanes made the Elite 8 for the first time in program history last season, but lost three starters from that squad.  However, the team returned star guard Isaiah Wong, while also landing impact transfers in the form of Nijel Pack and Norchad Omier.  However, the senior Miller, who once upon a time played at George Mason, is the heart and soul of these last two standout Miami squads.  Miller does a little bit of everything for the 'Canes, averaging 15.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.3 steals per contest.  Miller is shooting career bests from the charity stripe as well as three-point land.  His defense is superb, and Miller always seems to be in the right place at the right time.  Recent wins over North Carolina, Duke and Clemson have Miami in prime position to contend for the ACC crown, and Miller is the straw that stirs the drink.

CHECK STATUS

Oscar Tshiebwe, C, Kentucky – Tshiebwe is still having a stellar senior campaign.  He just set the bar so high last season, that anything less is going to seem like a disappointment.  He is averaging 15.7 points and 13.3 rebounds per outing.  Last year, he averaged 17.4 points and 15.1 rebounds per clash.  He's battled foul trouble on occasion as well this season.  The fact that the Wildcats are not having a standout season overall has not helped his cause either.  He is still more than capable of monstrous lines, such as last Saturday's matchup with Georgia in which he tallied 20 points, 14 rebounds, four assists and four blocks.  However, the Wildcats lost that contest too, and Tshiebwe has been held under 10 points in two of the last three outings.

Charles Bediako, C, Alabama – Brandon Miller has been absolutely sensational for the Tide, who are currently 12-0 in SEC conference play.  Alabama is incredibly deep behind Miller and second-leading scorer Mark Sears, though.  Alabama is second in the nation in rebounding with Miller, Noah Clowney and Bediako leading the charge in that category.  The seven-footer is also a force in the paint on the defensive end, swatting a team-best 1.6 shots per contest.  However, Bediako sustained a knee injury earlier this week, leaving his status up in the air in the short term.  While the injury is not considered serious, Alabama is currently the No. 1 team in the country and, with a clear target on its back, would miss the starter Bediako against Tennessee on Wednesday, and perhaps beyond.

C.J. Wilcher, G, Nebraska – Wilcher started the first 18 games of the season for the 'Huskers, but then was sent to the bench.  He failed to score double-digit points in all but one of his games as a reserve but was re-inserted into the starting lineup Tuesday.  He responded with 17 points, four rebounds and four assists in a rousing 82-72 win at Rutgers.  There is a clear difference in Wilcher's numbers when he starts versus when he comes off the bench, so a permanent return to the starting five would aid Wilcher's statistics tremendously.

Jack Clark, G, NC State – Clark started the first 15 games of the season for the Wolfpack but picked up a hip injury and missed 10 games.  He's returned from injury for the last two games, and played 31 minutes off the bench in Tuesday's narrow loss to Syracuse.  Clark tallied 15 points, nine rebounds, one dime and two steals, and could be destined for a return to the starting lineup in short order.  He notched two double-doubles earlier this season, and would be a welcome return, particularly on the glass.

DOWNGRADE

Nick Guadarrama, G/F, Florida International – The New Hampshire transfer was spotted in a walking boot using crutches following last week's win over Louisiana Tech, and subsequently missed FIU's loss to Rice on Saturday.  It remains to be seen just how long the senior will be shelved.  Guadarrama played a more central role at UNH for four years, averaging over 12 points, five rebounds and two assists in three-straight seasons before heading south.  As a member of the Panthers, he started every game prior to the injury, but had more of a muted impact.  Guadarrama averaged 7.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.9 assists per contest.  Freshman Dashon Gittens started in place of Guadarrama versus the Owls but managed just 13 minutes before fouling out.  Reserve senior John Williams accumulated a season-high 16 points, though, and could see more minutes if Guadarrama remains shelved.

Mekhi Long, G/F, Old Dominion – Long's undisclosed absence Tuesday for the Monarchs is a bit curious, as he traveled with the team but remained on the bench in street clothes.  ODU still picked up a narrow victory over Texas State, but the Monarchs could be in a bind if Long misses any more time.  The 6-7 junior leads the squad in rebounding and steals and is third on the team in scoring.  Long is on pace for career highs across the board, including shooting percentages from the foul line and three-point range.  The Monarchs are fairly small up front, so while Ben Stanley, Dericko Williams and Faizon Fields will be asked to snatch some more boards in the frontcourt, standout guards Tyreek Scott-Grayson and Chaunce Jenkins will also be asked to chip in on the glass if Long is sidelined any longer.

Isaih Moore, C, Fresno State – Moore will be sidelined indefinitely due to a hip injury, and could be in danger of missing the remainder of the season.  The well-traveled big man averaged 11.5 points and 7.3 rebounds per game for the Bulldogs this season, though had been hampered by the injury since the calendar turned.  Moore had three double-doubles in his first six games of the year, but had failed to notch another double-double since that time before getting hurt.  Junior Eduardo Andre played 33 minutes in place of Moore last game in a loss to Nevada, tallying 10 points, eight rebounds, two dimes, one block and two steals.  He would appear to be the chief beneficiary of Moore's unfortunate ailment.

Deivon Smith, G, Georgia Tech – The Yellow Jacket guard has been battling a balky ankle, which will cause him to miss his second game in five outings.  Smith does a little bit of everything when on the court for Georgia Tech, averaging 8.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists per contest.  He nearly managed a triple-double last week in a win over Notre Dame with eight points, nine rebounds and seven dimes.  However, clearly the ankle is bothering him enough to sideline him once again.  Smith has also been shuffled between the bench and starting lineup, so his role has been in constant flux as well.  It remains to be seen when and how he will return for the Ramblin' Wreck.